Additional information
The course Legal Research Lab focuses on the question how the methods used in legal research have be justified. PhD students are asked to reflect on the methodological challenges in their research and how to deal with them. At the first (plenary) meeting various methodological issues concerning legal interpretation, selection of sources, theoretical and normative frameworks, the is-ought relation and multidisciplinary research will be discussed. Subsequently, PhD students write a paper in which they reflect on some methodological issues in their research. Preferably, this text can be included in the introduction of their thesis when the methods used have to be described and justified. The paper will be discussed with the lecturer at the second (individual) meeting.

Credits
2-6 EC (as a minimum, PhD candidates have to present their research at least on one occasion)

Period
12 Dec 2019, 19 March 2020, 4 June 2020; master classes to be scheduled on an ad-hoc basis.
Seminars usually take place on Thursday afternoons from 15:30 - 17:30 in room 2A-45/47 of the Initium Building.

Additional information
This component involves active participation in four seminars throughout the year and in (occasional) masterclasses with international top researchers. During the seminars, PhD candidates are expected to present their research, provide feedback on each other's work and in general engage in discussions with their peers. Participation in seminars and masterclasses is mandatory for internal PhD students. We acknowledge that external PhD students may not always be able to attend, but we encourage them to participate as well.

Mandatory optional components (min. 5 EC)

The following components relate to the VU Amsterdam-wide mandatory requirement of transferable skills. The PhD candidate is required to choose one or more components adding up to at least 5 EC. The components can also be used for the optional section of the training requirements.

Period
This is an ongoing, mostly online, course and participants can fit the training to their needs on an ad hoc basis. Participants also have the option to participate in one-day workshops. The next workshop is scheduled for Thursday 31 October 2019.

Optional components

Additional information
PhD students may choose to spend three months as an embedded researcher in a non-academic setting, such as law firms, banks, ministries, etc. PhD students will have to make their own arrangements. See for more information also the Professional PhD Program of Promovendi Netwerk Nederland (Dutch only).

Target group
PhD students employed by VU University towards the end of their 3rd or beginning of 4th year

Credits
1 EC

Period
September-November 2019 (2019-3)

Fee
In 2019, PhD candidates can participate for a fee of €695. For internal PhD students the costs will be borne by the faculty and will be settled with the transition fee. Every PhD student whose employment lasted at least two years is entitled to this fee.

Additional information
The University Library provides training on Research Data Management (RDM) for PhD students. Good RDM (e.g. storing, sharing, archiving, describing your research data) contributes to research transparency and integrity. Due to the advance of new technologies, data volumes and numbers of files are constantly increasing. For that reason good data management is an essential part of data-driven research as well. In this workshop, we will introduce and discuss the different aspects of RDM which typically need to be covered in a data management plan (DMP), such as data description, data storage during research, sharing data with colleagues, data archiving after research and data citation. The various components of research data management will be related to the FAIR principles (that is, principles to make data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable). We will also address the ethical and legal framework, including the General Data Protection Regulation (the new EU-law on privacy which will be in effect from May 2018).

In this training, you’ll learn why good RDM is necessary and how it can be beneficial to your research. In an interactive workshop, we will provide you with practical guidelines and instruments to manage your data properly. You will be working on a DMP for your own research, so that you can apply the things you learn to your own project.

This training requires some preparation from your side. You will be asked to read and watch information about RDM (two short articles and a website). In addition, you need to write a first draft of a DMP, which will be worked out in more detail during the workshop.